Alex Williams, Ph.D.

Professor of Management

A Conversation with dr. alex williams

What draws you to your discipline?

My undergraduate degree is from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. Morehouse, an all-male historically black college (HBCU), encourages its students to lead lives of leadership and service. These two tenets (leadership and service) have shaped many aspects of my life, including my choice of management as a teaching and research discipline. I enjoy exploring how modern leaders steer their organizations by motivating, listening to, and incorporating the ideas of their followers. I also use this approach in the classroom; I encourage students to actively participate in the learning process, ask for their feedback at the end of the course, and incorporate their ideas the next semester.

What has been your favorite course to teach?

Teaching is my passion, regardless of the subject! Whether it is an undergraduate or graduate-level course, a Sunday school class, or coaching soccer (one of my favorites!). There is a great responsibility that comes with being an educator. I always keep in mind the following quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” As an educator, I strive to teach students (and soccer players!) the life lessons associated with the subject, so they can use it to build their character.

If I had to pick one course to teach, it would be Principles of Management. I enjoy introducing students to the different topics within the management field and showing them how much of it can apply to their everyday lives.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I have lived in four states and attended 10 schools between kindergarten and 12^th grade.  After college, I worked for International Paper and co-founded a youth soccer club, both in Memphis, TN.  I enjoy sharing these experiences in the classroom, along with stories from my personal life, especially those that involve the antics of my son (Xander)!

Education

• Ph.D., University of Mississippi , 2012
• B.A., Accounting, Morehouse College, 1999

Research Areas

• Leadership
• Organizational Behavior
• Management History

Recent Publications

• Williams, Jr., W. A., Randolph-Seng, B., Hayek, M., Pane-Haden, S., & Atinc, G. (2017).  Servant Leadership and Followership Creativity: The Influence of Workplace Spirituality and Political Skill.   Leadership and Organization Development Journal
• Srivastava, S., Panda, S., & Williams Jr, W. A. (2022). User-entrepreneurship and innovation: does customer involvement and learning orientation matter?. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 37(6), 1182-1196.
• Cristofaro, M., Hayek, M., Williams, W. A., Hartt, C. M., & Heames, J. T. (Eds.). (2022). Honoring the Scientific Endeavor of James March. Emerald.